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SUNY Plattsburgh Internal Control Program

Memo from President Ettling

Date: March 24, 2014

To: Campus Community

From: John Ettling, President

Re: Internal Controls at SUNY Plattsburgh

In recent years, SUNY Plattsburgh has embraced new statements of mission, vision, values, and goals. Our core values as a college community reflect and guide the way we do business on a daily basis. They include respect for one another and those whom we serve; honesty, integrity, and the pursuit of excellence in all that we do.

I want to take this opportunity to affirm my continued commitment to internal control awareness and risk management at SUNY Plattsburgh. Internal controls are those actions an organization takes to help ensure the accomplishment of its goals and objectives such as operating practices, reporting relationships, and policies and procedures that help the college to function effectively and efficiently. Strong internal controls reduce waste and the improper use of resources and help the college to comply with applicable laws and regulations. All of us play an important role in this effort because it is the ethical values, integrity, competence and hard work of an organization’s people that ultimately make it successful.

In accordance with the New York State Governmental Accountability, Audit and Internal Control Act of 1987, SUNY Plattsburgh established a program to evaluate the overall state of the college’s internal control systems and report deficiencies. Under the college’s Internal Control Program, the Internal Control Committee coordinate reviews in selected areas of the campus that, by the nature of the activities involved, present potential risks to the college. Each year, the ICC conducts reviews of operational procedures within selected departments/offices to determine the effectiveness of existing controls. Reviews sometime result in suggested changes to operating practices or may simply establish that existing controls appear adequate. Many thanks to those of you, who have participated in the reviews, and I urge your continued full support and participation in keeping our risks low.

Being good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, modeling ethical behavior while meeting our job requirements, and suggesting opportunities for improvement are ways that we can all put these core values into practice every day. Establishing and then following good systems of internal control are a means by which we incorporate these values into the fabric of our departments and offices.

WeComply Training

Earlier this year, we instituted a new, EASY method of delivering required training to all employees through WeComply, a set of on-line training modules. Here are the advantages to you, the employee:

Learn at your own pace.

Complete required training modules at your workplace.

Complete required training modules when you have time during the work day.

No training meetings.

The first two modules – Preventing Sexual Misconduct (Title IX) and Preventing Workplace Violence – went live on March 6. You have until April 25 to complete them online. You will be receiving timely notices from Stacy Basford, our training coordinator.

SUNY Plattsburgh is committed to establishing a safe, respectful, and dynamic environment for our students and our faculty and staff. This training program will help us achieve this goal and comply with federal, state, and SUNY requirements for training.

We should all take time to review the brochure, "Introduction to Internal Control", which is located online at www.plattsburgh.edu/president/internalcontrolhome.php along with other information about our Internal Control Program. All supervisors are also encouraged to review the information with their staff and to have a dialogue about internal controls and how they relate to their specific operations.

Should you have questions about the Internal Control Program or want to schedule a training session or individual meeting, please contact Mr. John Homburger, Vice President for Administration, (564-2130) or David Gregoire, Internal Control Coordinator (564-3613).

Faculty, staff, and students who suspect intentional or unintentional misuse involving state funds, equipment, or supplies or other irregular activities or unethical practices may anonymously report matters of concern to the Internal Control Committee through the Internal Control Hotline (voice mailbox) at 866-633-6112. Your information – not your name – could prove useful in reducing losses..

2014 Internal Control Committee

John Homburger (518-564-2130)
Vice President for Administration
Internal Control Officer